The coronavirus pandemic has obviously brought real motorsport to a halt, but many of Michelin’s driver partners have been keeping their eye in thanks to virtual races like Sebring SuperSaturday, e-Sport MotoGP and Porsche Supercup Virtual Edition.

Initially scheduled for the weekend of June 13-14, this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours has been postponed until mid-September due to the coronavirus outbreak. The 1968 race was also held in September and saw Michelin provide new radial tyres for its partner Alpine.

Sébastien Ogier steered his Michelin LTX Force-equipped Toyota Yaris WRC to victory this weekend to earn his sixth success in Mexico. However, Round 3 of the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship was brought to an early close due to the coronavirus outbreak.

FIA WRC - Michelin scores 30th Rally Sweden triumph!

FIA Formula E - Evans (Jaguar/Michelin) triumphs in Mexico

The coronavirus pandemic has obviously brought real motorsport to a halt, but many of Michelin’s driver partners have been keeping their eye in thanks to virtual races like Sebring SuperSaturday, e-Sport MotoGP and Porsche Supercup Virtual Edition.

Fifth place at the last round of the 2019 Enel FIM MotoE™ World Cup sufficed for Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) to become the new competition’s first champion. The weekend’s two races were won by pole-winner Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing).

MotoGP™: Márquez claims unchallenged win at Aragon

The 2019 Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon – Round 14 of the 2019 MotoGPTM World Championship – was won by Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) by a margin of almost five seconds over Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team). Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was third. Márquez could settle this year’s title chase in Thailand in two weeks’ time.

Márquez hit the ground running at the Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon to top the order in Free Practice 1, a full 1.6 seconds quicker than the rest of the field. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) were fastest in sessions two and three but couldn’t prevent the Honda rider from claiming his seventh qualifying victory of the season.

Racing on medium- and soft-compound MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, Márquez got away cleanly at lights-out and immediately set a blistering pace, positing his fastest race lap on the second of the afternoon’s 23 laps. By the midway point, he was more than five seconds clear and a fast, consistent second half helped him to celebrate his 200th grand prix start with his eighth victory of the campaign.

Competing on the same tyre combination as the day’s winner, Dovizioso had qualified 10th on the grid but a gutsy display saw him slice his way up the order in the race. By half-distance, he was up to fourth, and he went on to pick off Miller and Viñales on Laps 15 and 21 to take the flag in second spot, practically five seconds back.

Miller robbed Viñales of third place on the last lap, while Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was fifth.

Four of the six tyre options provided by Michelin were used in Spain. All the riders with the exception of Mika Kallio (hard) went for the medium front MICHELIN Power Slick which they combined with either a soft or hard rear.

The MICHELIN Power Rain made two appearances, for Saturday morning’s Free Practice 3 and Sunday’s warm-up run.

The podium ceremonies in every class saw Michelin present personalised 3D-printed titanium trophies. These prizes were designed especially for the Aragon grand prix and were made by Poly-Shape which is already active in motorsport. Poly-Shape is a subsidiary of the French group AddUp, a leader in the world of 3D metal additive manufacturing and co-owned by Michelin.

Today’s result has taken Márquez 98 points clear of Dovizioso at the top of the provisional Riders’ standings. The Spaniard will make sure of the 2019 title if he succeeds in earning two more points than his rival in Thailand. Rins (+144 points) is third.

Initially scheduled for the weekend of June 13-14, this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours has been postponed until mid-September due to the coronavirus outbreak. The 1968 race was also held in September and saw Michelin provide new radial tyres for its partner Alpine.

Sébastien Ogier steered his Michelin LTX Force-equipped Toyota Yaris WRC to victory this weekend to earn his sixth success in Mexico. However, Round 3 of the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship was brought to an early close due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Le Mans organiser ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) has listed the 62 entries that have been invited to take part in the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours on June 13-14. More than 50 cars will contest the race on Michelin rubber. The French firm is targeting its 23rd straight win in La Sarthe and its 29th in total. Hybrid LMP1 prototypes will appear for the last time.